Smart Planning have successfully achieved planning permission from Basildon Borough Council for upward extensions to an existing building in the town of Wickford, Essex.
The existing three-storey building consists of a ground floor local shopping precinct with flats located above. The planning application sought to create a first-floor extension to provide a single additional flat, along with the creation of a fourth-floor providing six flats.
As part of the proposal, electric vehicle charging points, secure residents cycle parking and two additional vehicular parking spaces were all provided in support of the proposal.
The Planning Officer stated that “The development proposals are considered to be acceptable in principle. NPPF advice requires new housing proposals to be considered in the context of the presumption in favour of sustainable development and directs that where a Local Planning Authority does not have a five year housing land supply, the development plan policies should not be
considered up to date and that planning permission should be granted unless the adverse impacts of doing so would clearly and demonstrably outweigh the benefits when assessed against the policies of the NPPF taken as a whole.”
The Officer concluded that the proposed extensions were “in keeping with its overall design and form of the building, modernising and enhancing its appearance, and would not result in it appearing significantly more dominant in the street scene. The significant separation distances to surrounding residential properties would ensure that no material detriment to the residential amenities of neighbours through overlooking, overshadowing, loss of outlook or over dominance would occur.”
Furthermore, any potential issues regarding the parking provision at the site were also overcome through the preparation and submission of a detailed parking survey.
The application was subsequently granted permission by Members of the Planning Committee by 5 votes to 1 subject to conditions, supported by the Planning Officer’s recommendation to approve.
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13 November 2020.